- Title: German election campaigning takes stage on Ash Wednesday
- Date: 1st March 2017
- Summary: VARIOUS OF SCHULZ IN TENT GREETING PEOPLE
- Embargoed: 15th March 2017 15:25
- Keywords: Ash Wednesday Merkel Schulz Petry Strache Germany politics
- Location: VILSHOFEN, PASSAU, OSTERHOFEN
- City: VILSHOFEN, PASSAU, OSTERHOFEN
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA002664ODVR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Ash Wednesday (March 1) marks the end of Cologne's Carnival festival, but in Germany it is traditionally a day for political parties to hold rallies.
These annual events, where beer and sharply criticizing opposing parties are both chief, took an even greater importance this year on the campaign trail of Germany's upcoming federal elections on Sept. 24
Social Democratic Party (SPD) chancellor candidate Martin Schulz was met with waves of red banners bearing his name. He condemned U.S. President Donald Trump after some news organisations were barred from a recent press briefing, accusing the leader of taking an "axe to the roots of democracy."
He also condemned the far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) and its leaders.
"This is quite simply a disgrace for the Federal Republic," the former European Parliament president said.
The SPD narrowed the gap with Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives to 2 percentage points from 3 in the last week, according to a poll for Stern magazine by the Forsa institute.
Seven months before federal elections, Wednesday's survey of 2,500 voters found support for Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), fell 1 point to 33 percent. The SPD was steady at 31 percent.
The AfD, which has no coalition allies, rose 1 point to 9 percent.
CSU leader Horst Seehofer used his Ash Wednesday speech to voice support for the embattled chancellor.
"Who can lead us in these times of global challenges, and European challenges? Who has the foreign policy clout to defend the interests of Germany in the global world? Dear friends. As somebody who can also find points to fight over and will always do so, I say i don't know anyone other than Angela Merkel who can lead Germany in these times," he told the audience.
Merkel is seeking a fourth term in the election. She now leads a coalition government made up of her CDU/CSU and the centre-left SPD. Both are hoping to form a new government with smaller allies. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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